Hepatoprotective and TNF-α inhibitory activity of Zosima absinthifolia extracts and coumarins

Zosima absinthifolia (ZA) extracts and the coumarins (+)-columbianadin and (-)-deltoin were evaluated for their potential hepatoprotective and antiinflamatory effects in a CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity assay in rats and by the inhibition of TNF-α production on LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages, respectively. Both the ZA extracts and the coumarins showed hepatoprotective activity confirmed by monitoring the ALT/AST levels and by histopathological examination. The antiinflamatory activity, proved by the inhibition of TNF-α production, was found to be higher for the n-hexane root extract than for coumarins, suggesting synergic potential of the extract. The concentration of (-)-deltoin and (+)-columbianadin in extracts was determined by HPLC analysis.     

The use of machine learning methods in classification of pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.)

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Pumpkin seeds are frequently consumed as confection worldwide because of their adequate amount of protein, fat, carbohydrate, and mineral contents. This study...     

Studies on differential response of wheat cultivars to boron toxicity

Experiments were carried out to study the differential responses of different wheat cultivars to boron toxicity in field, greenhouse and growth chamber conditions. In field trials carried out at two locations, both of which are known to contain toxic amounts of water-extractable B, significant correlations were obtained between toxicity symptoms and grain yields. The only durum cultivar included in this group of experiments (Kunduru 1149) was the most sensitive of the 21 cultivars trialed. The most tolerant cultivars were of local origin. Genotype-environment interaction was considerably large. Twenty-nine bread wheat and three durum wheat cultivars were compared in a greenhouse experiment with and without the application of 40 mg L^-1 B. Again, the durums were the most sensitive cultivars. The most tolerant cultivars were either selections from local populations or had at least one parent of local origin. The detrimental effect of B on root dry matter production was much higher than on shoot dry matter (45 and 26%, respectively), but genotypical variation was greater in shoot growth retardation. While this implies the possible role of reduced translocation, high concentrations of B in the shoots of tolerant cultivars (though lower than in the sensitive cultivars) indicated the existence of other contributing mechanisms, such as tissue tolerance. Also, greater genotypical variation in older leaves showed that reduced uptake might be more important than reduced translocation in some cases. Due to the lack of correlation between results from the field and the controlled-environment studies, it was concluded that screenings should be undertaken in both situations as a means of verification. Another conclusion drawn was that symptom scoring for B tolerance was more reliable than measuring plant B concentrations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The cost of soil lost from fields due to removal on harvested sugarbeet: a case study in Turkey

Abstract. Soil removed on sugarbeet ( Beta vulgaris L .) at harvest may be an important factor in soil degradation causing significant decline in soil productivity. This study evaluated soil losses on sugarbeet and estimated the cost of plant nutrients lost by this process. The losses were calculated using data from the agricultural reports published by the General Directorate of the Turkish Sugar Industry. Organic matter and plant available nutrient contents of soils removed from sugarbeet fields were determined. It was estimated that approximately 30 000 t of soil is lost annually in Erzurum, and 1.2 million t in the whole of Turkey. The cost of N, P and K losses is approximately 60 000 US$ annually for the study area.     

Comparison of the genetic structure of populations of wild emmer wheat, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum turgidum</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">dicoccoides</Emphasis>, from Israel and Turkey revealed by AFLP analysis

The aim of the present study was to assess the genetic variation in several Israeli and Turkish populations of wild emmer wheat, Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, the progenitor of most domesticated wheat. Single spikes were collected in 2002 from 60 plants that grew in six different habitats in Ammiad, northeastern Israel (8–12 plants from each habitat), and in 1998 from 56 plants that grew in seven different habitats in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey (8 plants from each habitat). Seeds were planted in a nursery and DNA was extracted from every plant and analyzed by the fluorescent-based amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method. Seven primer combinations produced 788 discernible loci of which 48.6% were polymorphic in Israel and 40.5% in Turkey. The genetic diversity estimates P (frequency of polymorphic loci) and He (gene diversity) were higher in Ammiad than in Diyarbakir (means of P = 0.34 and He = 0.13 in Ammiad vs. P = 0.20 and He = 0.08 in Diyarbakir). Ammiad populations contained more unique alleles than Diyarbakir populations. The relative genetic diversity estimates (θ) values were 0.188 in Ammiad and 0.407 in Diyarbakir, suggesting better differentiation of the populations in Turkey. Genetic distance was larger between Israeli and Turkish populations than between populations of each country. The data indicate that the Israeli and Turkish populations are considerably diverged and that the Israeli populations are more polymorphic than the Turkish ones, having a larger within-populations genetic variation than among-populations one. The significance of the results in relation to the differentiation pattern of wild emmer in the Near East is discussed.     

Effects of Nigella sativa L. and Urtica dioica L. on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme systems and some liver enzymes in CCl4-treated rats

This study was designed to investigate the effects Nigella sativa L. (NS) and Urtica dioica L. (UD) on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme systems and some liver enzymes in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated rats. A total of 60 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were utilized in this study. The rats were randomly allotted into one of four experimental groups: A (CCl4-only treated), B (CCl4 + UD treated), C (CCl4 + NS treated) and D (CCl4 + UD + NS treated), each containing 15 animals. All groups received CCl4 [0.8 ml/kg of body weight, subcutaneously, twice a week for 90 days starting day 1]. In addition, B, C and D groups also received daily intraperitoneal injections of 0.2 ml/kg NS or/and 2 ml/kg UD oils for 45 days starting day 46. Group A, on the other hand, received only 2 ml/kg normal saline solution for 45 days starting day 46. Blood samples for the biochemical analysis were taken by cardiac puncture from five randomly chosen rats in each treatment group at beginning, at 45th and at 90th day of the experiment. The CCl4 treatment for 45 days increased the lipid peroxidation and liver enzymes, and also decreased the antioxidant enzyme levels. NS or UD treatments (alone or combination) for 45 days starting day 46 decreased the elevated lipid peroxidation and liver enzyme levels and also increased the reduced antioxidant enzyme levels. Live weights of the rats decreased in group A, and increased in groups B, C and D. It is concluded that NS and UD decrease the lipid peroxidation and liver enzymes, and increase the antioxidant defence system activity in the CCl4-treated rats.     

Hepatoprotective effect of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil

Hepatoprotective activity of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) essential oil (FEO) was studied using carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) induced liver injury model in rats. The hepatotoxicity produced by acute CCl(4) administration was found to be inhibited by FEO with evidence of decreased levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin. The results of this study indicate that FEO has a potent hepatoprotective action against CCl(4)-induced hepatic damage in rats.     

Intrauterine iodine administration is superior to antibiotics for reconception after late-embryonic losses in dairy cows

This field study was conducted to compare conception and insemination efficiency responses to intrauterine polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine (PVP-I) and antibiotic (AB) treatments in dairy cows that experienced pregnancy loss. Data were collected from lactation cows with a history of pregnancy loss 27 to 70 days post-insemination (n = 97) during the 1st to 3rd lactation (days in milk = 196 ± 28). Cows were subjected to 1 of 3 treatments: i) 50 mL saline solution intrauterine infusion (S; n = 23); ii) 2% PVP-I (n = 42); or iii) 150 mg of amoxicillin trihydrate and 40 mg/mL gentamicin sulphate (n = 32). All cows followed the progesterone-based fixed-time insemination protocol. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test and 1-way analysis of variance. The PVP-I treatment (n = 25; 59.5%) was as effective as the AB treatment (n = 19; 59.4%), compared to the S treatment (n = 5; 21.7%) to achieve a new conception. The cows in group PVP-I conceived in a shorter time than those in group AB (46.0 ± 8.7 days versus 105.0 ± 10.0 days; P < 0.05) with a more efficient insemination to conception ratio (2.32 ± 0.43 versus 4.10 ± 0.32; P < 0.05). Data suggest that intrauterine PVP-I administration is superior to intrauterine AB administration in rescheduling reproductive protocol upon late embryonic and fetal losses.     

Evaluation of analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of lycorine from Sternbergia fisheriana (Herbert) Rupr

The present study reports the potential antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of lycorine from Sternbergia fischeriana (Herbert) Rupr. (Amaryllidaceae). Lycorine was evaluated on mice by using acetic-acid induced writhing and tail-flick tests. Lycorine exhibited stronger inhibition than aspirin in acetic-acid induced abdominal stretching at 1.0 mg/kg dose. Lycorine also showed antinociceptive activity at 1.0 mg/kg dose in tail-flick test. The anti-inflammatory activity of lycorine was not found to be significant at dose of 0.5 mg/kg. However, at doses of 1.0 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg, i.p. showed a significant reduction with 53.45% and 36.42%, respectively in rat paw oedema induced by carrageenan against the reference anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (3 mg/kg, i.p.) (95.70%). The ED₅₀ of lycorine was determined as 0.514 mg/kg. Hepatoprotective activity of lycorine on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) induced acute liver toxicity following biochemical parameters were also evaluated. Rats were treated with lycorine at doses of 1.0 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg, i.p. Results of biochemical tests were confirmed by histopathological examination. Lycorine exhibited significant hepatoprotective effect at dose of 2.0 mg/kg i.p. dose.